1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transmitting a control packet in a broadband Wide Area Network (WAN). More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for preventing a link from failing due to a loss of a control packet in a broadband WAN.
2. Description of the Related Art
A protocol for controlling a data link of a broadband communication network repeatedly determines an operation status of a counterpart node via a keep alive process.
In the case of performing the keep alive process, a node including a protocol for controlling a data link transmits a keep alive control frame for determining an operation status of a counterpart node to which a data link is connected to the counterpart node. At this point, the counterpart node transmits a response signal to the node in response to the keep alive control frame only if traffic is transmittable/receivable.
When receiving a response signal from the counterpart node in response to the keep alive control frame, the node including the protocol recognizes that the counterpart node can transmit/receive traffic. Therefore, the node including the protocol transmits/receives traffic to/from the counterpart node via the data link.
In contrast, when not receiving a response signal from the counterpart node in response to the keep alive control frame, the node including the protocol retransmits a keep alive control frame. When not successively receiving a response signal in response to a keep alive control frame, the node including the protocol determines that the counterpart node cannot transmit/receive traffic, and shuts down the link with the counterpart node.
When a channel status is not good and a keep alive control frame is lost, the node including the protocol cannot receive a response signal in response to the keep alive control frame. Therefore, the node including the protocol shuts down a link with the counterpart node even when the counterpart node can transmit/receive traffic.